Enrollment Sets Record

A record-setting 1,828 students are enrolled at William Woods University this fall. That’s a 24 percent increase.

Following a national trend, the freshman class is noticeably larger. There are 293 new students in the traditional semester-based program, 25 percent more than last year. Even more impressive is the 62 percent growth in graduate student enrollment.

The 1,828 students enrolled at William Woods this fall include 736 semester (or traditional) students and 1,092 in the accelerated Graduate & Adult Studies program. The enrollment reflects an increase of 349 students overall.

“We’re very pleased that such a large number of new students have chosen to attend William Woods University,” Laura Archuleta, executive director of enrollment services, said. “We are even more pleased with their quality and diversity.”

The new class includes students from 32 states, as well as the countries of Algeria, Japan, the Republic of Georgia, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and Taiwan.

Enrollment at William Woods has been growing steadily in the past decade. In 1990, 713 students attended William Woods. Five years later, with the introduction of both undergraduate and graduate programs for working adults, the number had increased to 1,161.

Unique programs of study include an internationally recognized equestrian studies program, a four-year Interpreting and American Sign Language (ASL) program (one of only 25 in the U.S. and Canada), a degree in juvenile justice (the first in the state) and the Midwest’s only three-year undergraduate degree program (Century Scholars).

Last year the State of Missouri awarded an $80,000 three-year renewable grant to William Woods to create an innovative new program, combining the study of social work with the study of American Sign Language. The ultimate goal is to provide the deaf community with social workers trained in their language.

The school’s innovative new LEAD (Leading, Educating, Achieving and Developing) program provides awards ($5,000 to residential students and $2,500 to commuters) to any incoming student who agrees to make a commitment to campus and community involvement.
The program is intended to encourage and reward the type of activities that make for a complete, well-rounded liberal arts background.

Graduate & Adult Studies programs include an associate of arts in liberal studies (AA), ACCESS (general education), a bachelor of science degree in management (BSM), a bachelor of science in computer information and management (CIM), a master of business administration (MBA), an MBA with an accounting emphasis, an MBA with a health management concentration and a master of education (MED) in both administration and in curriculum/instruction.

Author:Mary Ann Beahon

Mary Ann Beahon brings more than 45 years of public relations experience to the job, primarily in higher education. She served as the director of University Relations for 18 years before retiring in 2018.
View all posts by Mary Ann Beahon

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona where I currently live. I was involved in 4-H and rode horses from a young age. The Equestrian Science program is what originally brought me to William Woods, but I decided to pursue a degree in Biology while I

Take a look back at graduation day 2019! We are so proud of our newest alumni class and hope you are already enjoying post-college life to the fullest. Don't forget to visit your alma mater every now and then!

Take a look back at graduation day 2019! We are so proud of our newest alumni class and hope you are already enjoying post-college life to the fullest. Don't forget to visit your alma mater every now and then! https://t.co/2VJE163W4Z